Behavioral Therapy, Exercise Improves Urinary Incontinence

(HealthDay News) — For frail older women, combining behavioral urinary incontinence (UI) treatments with physical activity may improve UI, according to a study published online in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The researchers found that there was a 50% reduction in daily leaks in the treatment group, while the control group reported no change (P =0.04). There were no between-group differences in total International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ) scores (P =0.66), but significantly greater improvement was seen on the ICIQ item for urine leakage in the treatment group (P =0.01). Improvement in UI was reported by >81% of the treatment group and 36% of the control group (P =0.01), with a mean estimated percentage improvement of 65.3 ± 32 and 34.1 ± 41.3, respectively (P =0.03). Treatment group participants improved their toileting skills, while those of the control group declined (Performance Oriented Timed Toileting Instrument: P =0.42; Minnesota Toileting Skills Questionnaire: P =0.11).

“Larger trials are needed to determine whether these findings can be replicated and sustained,” the authors write.